DKSuddeth
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WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday that people do not have a constitutional right to refuse to tell police their names.
The 5-4 decision frees the government to arrest and punish people who won't cooperate by revealing their identity.
Privacy advocates have argued such a ruling could let the government force people who have done nothing wrong to submit to fingerprinting or give up more personal information.
Police had argued that identity requests are a normal part of their work, including efforts to get information on terrorists.
The ruling upholds a Nevada rancher's misdemeanor conviction. He was arrested after he told a law officer he didn't have to reveal his name or show an ID. The dissenting justices say the rancher acted "well within" his rights.
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday that people do not have a constitutional right to refuse to tell police their names.
The 5-4 decision frees the government to arrest and punish people who won't cooperate by revealing their identity.
Privacy advocates have argued such a ruling could let the government force people who have done nothing wrong to submit to fingerprinting or give up more personal information.
Police had argued that identity requests are a normal part of their work, including efforts to get information on terrorists.
The ruling upholds a Nevada rancher's misdemeanor conviction. He was arrested after he told a law officer he didn't have to reveal his name or show an ID. The dissenting justices say the rancher acted "well within" his rights.